SocialVolt seeks to help companies avoid social media mishaps

In just three years, an idea for a social media management tool has morphed into a company that helps businesses monitor and manage the risks of social media accounts.

Overland Park, Kan.-based SocialVolt now has more than 300 clients, most which are businesses within regulated industries, such as financial firms.

“Our job is to help companies do social in a way that helps them avoid embarrassment and risks,” SocialVolt CEO Scott Oppliger(far left) said last week in a phone interview.

SocialVolt, which is powered by the two-man team of co-founders Oppliger and COO Derrek Harter(near left), makes software that allows any business to manage its own public social media accounts, as well as the accounts of employees who are using social media on the company’s behalf, by appointing administrators who can then manage and approve posts. The web-based software can also archive all posts by employees and corporate-owned accounts.

“We can help corporations manage their corporate-owned profiles but also the personally-owned profiles, so that those folks can use social but in a way that makes sure they’re compliant with various federal regulators,” Oppliger said.

“Our system actually does get used by companies that aren’t necessarily regulated but are equally concerned about making sure they don’t embarrass themselves or clients by having accidents,” he added.

The software is paid for with a subscription fee that varies based on the number of users and social profiles that will be managed.

The idea for SocialVolt came to Oppliger and Harter after they pitched their original idea for a social media management tool to Oppliger’s neighbor, who is the CMO of a mutual fund company.

“He said, ‘This is great but we really need some additional security and compliance functionality built in.’ That was the birth of our idea,” Oppliger said.

Oppliger said what sets SocialVolt apart from direct competitors like Actiance and Hearsay Social is the simplicity and ease-of-use of SocialVolt’s interface (right).

“Our user interface, from what we’ve been told, stands apart from a lot of other applications available today,” Oppliger said. “It’s very simple for our clients to use and understand so they can be productive immediately.”

SocialVolt closed a $1.3 million Series A round that included investment from Kansas City’s Archer Capital about a year and a half ago. The startup is now looking for additional investment.

“That money is intended for sales, customer support and implementation,” Oppliger said.

Credits: Photos of Oppliger and Harter from socialvolt.com. Screenshot courtesy of SocialVolt.